The history of the
American West includes that of the people who lived, worked, and traveled
there. Among these people were three
groups which often went hand in hand. They were the lawmen, outlaws and gamblers.
Western lawmen were
in several forms. There was the law
enforcement who kept the peace inside city limits, such as Virgil Earp in
Tombstone, Arizona. More well-known was
Virgil’s younger brother, Wyatt Earp, who worked in law enforcement positions
in such places as Wichita, Kansas, and as a deputy sheriff in the Tombstone
area. The Federal government had its own
law enforcement in the form of the U.S. Marshals Service. One of the most famous U.S. deputy marshals
was African American Bass Reeves, but other people were part of law enforcement
in the West, including Judge Isaac C. Parker whose court was located at Fort
Smith, Arkansas. Judge Parker’s nickname
was the “Hanging Judge” for sending at least seventy-nine people to the
gallows. While not all lawmen were
honorable, more than once these men put their lives on the line to see justice
done.
Of course, the people
that lawmen often pursued were the outlaws. Perhaps
the most famous outlaw was the Missourian Jesse James who with his brother,
Frank James, and the James gang robbed trains and banks, as well as killing
several people. There were also Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid who rode in the Wild Bunch. Some outlaws were women, and one of the most
famous was Belle Starr whose only crimes might have been one or two cases of
horse thievery. Some lawmen were even
considered outlaws, or at least came from questionable criminal
backgrounds. During his younger days,
Wyatt Earp had been charged with horse stealing and possible theft of
money. If caught, outlaws faced jail
time or even execution.
The third group, the
gamblers, consisted of men and women who gambled with money in hopes of making
their fortune. Some of them were indeed
successful, although some probably gained and lost several fortunes during
their lives. There were all types of
ways to gamble, whether it be roulette,
poker, faro, horse racing, etc. John
Henry Holiday, better known today as “Doc” Holiday, was a trained dentist who
turned to gambling and became famous for backing up the Earp brothers at the
famous O.K. Corral gunfight in October, 1881. Although there were some successful gamblers, there
were some who died penniless.
If you have an
interest in any or all of these groups, visit the book display located just northwest
of the circulation desk in the Al Harris Library. Whether you have a personal
interest or a class research project, step back in time and find out about the
Old West lawmen, outlaws and gamblers. Feel
free to check out any of the books or DVDs!
